SIR ARTHUR BRYANTS BIAS IN WRITING ABOUT BATTLE OF ASSAYE
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- The document discusses Sir Arthur Bryant's bias in his writing about the Battle of Assaye in 1803, where the British East India Company led by Arthur Wellesley defeated the Marathas. - Bryant only showed the British regiments on his battle map and omitted the native Indian regiments, despite native troops suffering heavier casualties than some British regiments. - In particular, the 2/12 Madras Native Infantry regiment suffered the highest casualties of 222 men, proving native troops played an important role in the victory alongside British troops and leadership.
SIR ARTHUR BRYANTS BIAS IN WRITING ABOUT BATTLE OF ASSAYE
- 2. SIR ARTHUR BRYANTS BIAS IN WRITING ABOUT BATTLE OF ASSAYE ！- https://www.researchgate.net/pu blication/322355601_SIR_ARTHUR _BRYANTS_BIAS_IN_WRITING_AB OUT_BATTLE_OF_ASSAYE English East India Companys Order of Battle and Fatal casualties at Assaye 1803 Sir Arthur Bryants Bias in writing about Battle of Assaye In 1803 however the Second Maratha War broke out and the Marathas were decisively
- 3. defeated at Assaye by Wellesley and at Laswari by General Lake. At Assaye ( 23 September 1803) Wellesley defeated the Marathas with a Native-British army of approximately 6000 troops out of which I ,500 were of dubious value/reliability being Mysoreans/Marathas,while the 4,500 consisting of British and Native troops did bulk of the fighting. The infantly consisted of two Royal British Army regiments and
- 4. five native regiments ofthe Madras Anny,while the cavalry consisted of one Royal British Army cavalry regiment and three Native cavalry regiments from the Madras Army. The Maratha Army opposing Wellesley consisted of 10,500 Maratha infantry organised and disciplined on European lines by French officers and around 40,000 irregular horse. The major reason why the British won the victory was the future
- 5. victor of Waterloo's brilliant flank march,executed before the battle.Wellesley was initially advancing straight towards the Marathas. A battle fought would have enabled the Marathas to effectively utilise their numerical superiority against the British. Wellesley exhibited tremendous coup d oeil and decided not to attack frontally. Earlier he had been assured by local guides that there was no ford
- 6. across which Wellesley could take his army to outflank the Marathas. He noticed two villages opposite each other on the north and south banks of river Kaitna and assessed that ,there must be a ford connecting the two villages. A ford was discovered and Wellesley turned the Maratha front ,forcing them to change their entire front and to face the British in an area in which their numerical superiority was nullified,by virtue of frontage restricted by two rivers flowing on each flank.
- 7. British writers generally claim,that most of the fighting was done by the European troops in this battle.This statement is totally incorrect. It is necessary to discuss this battle in some detail,since many myths about European troops invincibility date originate from this battle as far as British military historians are concerned. (One British historian Sir Arthur Bryant is pleased to show only the British regiments on the battle
- 8. map of Assaye in his book,while omitting the native regiments!) On face value it appears that the Europeans did all the fighting since the total casualties suffered stand out at 644 European and 940 Natives (27) Closer examination of the casualties reveal that only H.M 74'h Foot suffered exceptionally heavy casualties i.e. 401 and this happened because this regiment attacked built up area ,which was difficult to clear. On the other hand the other British infantry regiment H.M 78'" Foot suffered
- 9. only 105 casualties,high casualties but less than four Madras native infantry battalions which fought the same battle i.e. 14 Madras Native Infantry which suffered 116 casualties, l/8 Madras Native Infantry which suffered 170 casualties, l/10 Madras Native Infantry which suffered 139 casualties and above all 2/12 Madras Native Infantry which suffered 222 casualties. (28) Assaye was one of the most decisive battles of India which destroyed the Maratha confederacy forces of Sindhia and
- 10. Bhonsla,and as we can see from the casualties,the native troops played a very important part in the battle. It is fair to state that without the natives,the British could not have been won this battle,on the other hand the battle proved that British leadership organisation and tactics were the greatest force multipliers. No other Indian Army of similar size as small as the British Indian Army at Assaye could have defeated the Marathas at Assaye!
- 11. It was the triumph of the European way of warfare using a European led ,and with a European nucleus,but an essentially predominantly Indian force to defeat another Indian force which had adopted the European way of war but was still organisationally and operationally far behind the superior British Company. History of Pakistan Army - Volume One- 1757 to 1948-Low Cost Black and White: Low Cost Black and
- 13. Major A.H Amin (Retired)